School of Tides

 The School of Tides traditionally studies the magic of water, and Gravelight - the art of directing the moon's arcane light into baleful, searing energy. It is one of three Schools of Magic that existed in the Tiers at the time of Kyros' invasion.

Background
For centuries the School of Tides was one of the most powerful groups of mages in the Tiers. Tidecasters have spells that directly affect water, as well as spells that direct the push and pull of Terratus' moons, or that gather the rays of the moon Terratus Grave into searing light. Despite their arsenal magics, the School was long devoted to protecting sea traffic and fostering the arts. These actions made them a bit more tolerated than other mage schools in the Tiers - most notably in Haven, where the School had its once-great academy. Shortly before Kyros troops came south, the School's founder - Occulted Jade, Archon of Tides, vanished across the ocean - fleeing Kyros' advance and taking most of her disciples with her across the sea - never to be heard from again.

Having arrived with the settlers that made landfall at Five Wives, she is perhaps the oldest (known) living Tiersman. Capable of manipulating the oceans, the moons, and all the transitory forms of water, Occulted Jade used her magic to form a cabal of seafaring traders, musicians, and academicians - and it was the dedication to the arts that helped the School endure, for by teaching these trades to the children of noble families, the School remained in the good graces of the realms.

Being able to control most anything cyclical and fluid, Occulted Jade has lived for centuries and could still be alive today - but none know with certainty. In the years before the conquest, the School of Tides discovered the Overlord's plan to invade. Despite all assumptions that the Tier's resident Archon would defend her school and home, to the surprise of everyone, the Archon vanished across the seas, taking nearly the entire School of Tides with her into exile across uncharted waters.

Magic
Gravelight is the magical term for the light of the moon Terratus Grave, specifically when harnessed and manipulated for nefarious purposes. While the moon's rays are normally incapable of causing so much as a mild sunburn, the Tidecasters have long studied magic that can concentrate these rays into bolts and beams of searing doom. The Tidecasters have spent centuries trying to mimic and control the moon's tidal pull on the oceans, and will often mention that diverting moonlight is 'the easy stuff' compared to pulling and pushing the tides, but modern times have forced the School of Tides to concentrate on the more martial applications of this magic.